Seoul, South Korea – Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to South Korea, Paul Sobba Massaquoi, has joined distinguished diplomats, health experts, and policymakers at the Korea-Africa Healt Summit COEX Conference Room in Seoul. The summit, themed “Expanding the Frontiers of Healthcare and Exploring New Opportunities for Collaboration,” brought together leaders to discuss innovative approaches to global health partnerships.

Speaking at the banquet, Ambassador Massaquoi expressed gratitude for the invitation and delivered an address rich with both humor and vision. “I am a son of a classroom teacher,” he remarked, drawing laughter from the audience, “so brace yourself because I am going to talk like the son of a teacher.”

He noted that despite the diversity of languages, cultures, and traditions represented in the room, participants shared similar aspirations, dignity, peace, freedom, and prosperity. “These common dreams,” he emphasized, “will be the source of our strength.”

The Ambassador underscored the importance of diligence and boldness in pursuing peace and collaboration while commending the Government of Korea and the Korea-Africa Foundation (KAF) for their efforts in strengthening diplomatic and health ties.

Highlighting Sierra Leone’s investment potential, Massaquoi outlined opportunities in mining, agriculture, fisheries, energy, tourism, telecommunications, and infrastructure. He stressed that Sierra Leone offers favorable conditions for investors, backed by government policies that encourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and public-private partnerships.

He further pointed to the country’s access to strategic markets through preferential trade agreements, including the Mano River Union, ECOWAS, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the EU’s Everything But Arms initiative, and the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

“I look forward to a more successful dialogue and partnership between our Korean partners and all our African countries,” he said, wishing delegates safe travels as they experienced Korea’s renowned hospitality.

The summit also spotlighted Korea’s leading healthcare institutions. Asan Medical Center (AMC), with more than 2,700 beds and 1,700 medical professionals, was celebrated for excellence in oncology, cardiovascular surgery, organ transplantation, and the use of robotic surgery and smart hospital solutions.

Myeongji Hospital, founded in 1987 in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, was recognized for its pioneering role in digital healthcare, particularly in telemedicine and hospital information systems. The hospital has grown into a multidisciplinary center and has positioned itself as a hub for global healthcare partnerships, driving Korea’s role as a leader in health innovation.

The Korea-Africa Health Summit reaffirmed the commitment of both regions to deepening collaboration in healthcare, technology, and investment for a healthier, more prosperous future